The Girl in the Trees
by Author468
Summary: Arthur and Merlin are hunting, when they meet a girl named Willow. Willow helps Arthur and Merlin find their way back to the horses she seems nice enough, but who or what is Willow? Where did she come from? May contain spoilers Rated T for future chapters


**A/N: This story takes place in S3 between episode 10 and 11**

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><p>It was a sunny afternoon and Arthur had taken Merlin hunting, again. Arthur said that after what had happened with Gwen he just needed sometime to think and hunting would give him just that. Though they had arrived on horses they were know on foot following the tracks of some large game.<br>_**CRACK**_  
>Arthur spun around bow at ready to see Merlin paused in mid-step, foot on a now snapped twig.<br>"Really Merlin?"  
>"Sorry."<br>"Well if we were close to the beast you've gone and sacred it off now."  
>"Sorry."<br>"God Merlin! Why do I even keep you around?"  
>"Because you like me?" Merlin suggested.<br>To which Arthur responded with a glare.  
>Arthur stuck his sword in the ground and sighed, there was no use following the beast now, not with a fool in tow.<br>"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" A female voice screamed.  
>Arthur and Merlin both turned towards the voice, to see it's owner appear on a ridge, it's very anger owner that is.<br>"What?" Arthur started.  
>"W-we do anything, we don't mean any harm," Merlin blurted out quickly, already afraid.<br>"Didn't mean any harm? Tell that to my garden!" She screamed coming closer.  
>Arthur and Merlin exchanged confused glances.<br>"You're stepping all over my herbs! My vegetables! You've stuck your sword in my pumpkin! You've even squashed my day lilies." She motioned to where Arthur had trod, and where Merlin was standing.  
>Arthur and Merlin looked down, surprised to see she was right what they had thought was just regular undergrowth was indeed a garden. And Arthur thinking he'd stuck his sword in a small bush had actually pierced a still green pumpkin.<br>"Well, I-I'm sorry," Arthur said thoroughly surprised.  
>The girl marched over to Arthur avoiding her already crushed plants"No your not," She sneered pulling Arthur's sword out of her pumpkin, "Not yet," she pointed the tip of the sword at Arthur's throat.<br>"Whoa, whoa, wh-whoa," Merlin stammered pushing the girl back away from Arthur, "You don't want to do that, he is the prince after all."  
>"Prince?" she asked, her leaf-green eyes filled with mock concern, "Of where exactly," she asked innocently.<br>"Of Camelot," Arthur snapped, snatching back his sword, "I am Arthur Pendragon, son of Uther Pendragon heir to the throne of Camelot."  
>Her eyebrows shoot up with fake interest "Oh really?" She dropped the act, "How dreadfully uninteresting."<br>"Why you little-" Arthur started for her.  
>Merlin put a restraining arm in front of Arthur, "And who, may I ask are you?" he asked hoping to stop the seemingly inevitable fight between the two.<br>"Me?" She stopped, turning around allowing both boys to get their first good look at her. She looked to be around eighteen her face was smeared with dirt. She had brown hair pulled back into a braid that reached to her waist into the braid the there was strands of green braided in. Her outfit was a simple green long-sleeve tunic that is fitted to her form. Over the tunic she wore a men's vest that tied was shut in a criss-cross pattern. She wore fitted brown pants that looked like the bark of a willow tree. She wore dark brown, lace up boots that were coated with mud. Around her waist she wore a belt that was too big for her and just barely sat on her hips, on the belt were several pouches containing unknown things (A/N: Dang! that was a loooong description).  
>She gave a fox like smile, "I'm Willow."<br>"Willow?" Arthur asked, no longer trying to take off her head, "Well that's a strange name."  
>Willow's eyes narrowed, "Well who knows maybe in another hundred years Arthur will be a 'strange name'."<br>"Hey!" Arthur lunged for her sword raised.  
>"Don't!" Merlin jumped in front of Arthur.<br>"Ha! You need to control your temper, little boy," she sneered.  
>"Li- Little boy!" Arthur choked with rage, "What exactly is that supposed to mean? I'm older than you!"<br>"Ha! haha, that's a good one," Willow remarked, "I doubt you know a single person older than me, little boy," she taunted.  
>"I'm older than you!" Arthur trembled with rage.<br>"Looks can be deceiving," she looked away, suddenly sad, "very deceiving," she whispered to herself.  
>Only Merlin heard the last part, and Arthur was still fuming about being called a "little boy".<br>"Now," Willow snapped, all traces of sadness gone, "I would appreciate it if you would leave my forest."  
>"Your forest?" Arthur said turning his head as if he didn't hear her, "This forest belongs to Camelot and to my father and therefore to me."<br>Willow's eyes turned dangerous, "You may own the land, but that's simply a name on a map, and what is a map but a piece of paper? A piece of paper easily destroyed, i might add. The land truly belongs to no man, but if the land were to choose do you really think it would choose a man who's probably never set foot in this forest?"  
>"Ha, the land can't choose, you're just another crack nut, " Arthur exclaimed throwing his arms in the air.<br>Willow looked upon Arthur in disgust, "I wouldn't expect a spoiled little brat of a boy like you to understand," she turned her gaze to Merlin, no longer disgusted. Now she looked kind and curious, "But you understand, don't you Emrys?" she asked in a soft voice.  
>"How, how do you know about?" Merlin asked softly.<br>But Willow payed no attention, "Either way, I'll take you back to your horses I passed them on my way here."  
>"And should we trust you, hm?" Arthur asked.<br>"I don't like you being here anymore than you like being around me, so it's in both are best interests that you leave as fast a possible," Willow crossed her arms, "And if you go back the way you came I suppose you'll be here until nightfall, and then you'll be forced to make camp and neither of us want _that_."  
>Merlin turned to Arthur, "She has a point you know."<br>"I know she does Merlin."  
>"So will you take me up on my offer or march around the forest like a couple of lost puppies?" Willow said cocking an eyebrow.<br>Arthur seemed to internally debate this for a few moments before finally making a desicion, "Fine, but only because I want to get back to Camelot before nightfall."  
>"I don't suppose I get a say in this?" Merlin questioned.<br>"No," Arthur and Willow said simultaneously.  
>"This way," Willow said, leaping across several rocks stopping on the ridge she'd first appeared on, "Oh and boys," She turned around with her hands on her hips and gave them a fox-like smile, "Try and keep up."<p>

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><p><strong>AN: Feel free to comment, and if any part is unclear to you please tell me and I'll revise it!  
><strong>


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